China, South Korea Seek Better Cooperation

Zhu Rongji holds talks with Kim Dae Jung

China and South Korea agreed on Wednesday to move the Sino-South Korean cooperative partnership to a stage of comprehensive cooperation.

The agreement was reached between visiting Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and South Korean President Kim Dae-jung at a meeting in the South Korean presidential palace Wednesday morning.

At the meeting, Zhu said the Sino-South Korean cooperative partnership, launched by Chinese President Jiang Zemin and President Kim in 1998, is a milestone in the history of bilateral relations.

The Chinese premier, who arrived Tuesday evening for a six-day visit, said his visit is aimed at further developing Sino-South Korean relations.

The two nations should continue the momentum of high-level contact to enhance exchange and cooperation. They should also better coordinate on international and regional affairs, he said.

Agreeing with Zhu's appreciation of Sino-South Korean ties, President Kim spoke highly of China's friendship policies towards South Korea.

Happy with the development of bilateral relations since the establishment of the South Korean-Chinese Cooperative Partnership, Kim said the comprehensive cooperation between South Korea and China will bring their relationship to a new stage.

On the Taiwan issue, Kim said South Korea will adhere to the "One China" policy as before.

On bilateral economic and trade relations, Kim agreed to Zhu's proposal that China and South Korea should cooperate in the fields of environmental protection, technology, petroleum, steel and coal.

The two leaders agreed to establish a mechanism for promoting Sino-South Korean investment.

Zhu welcomes South Korean business people to take part in the development of western China, saying the development project will supply many large-scale business opportunities for economic cooperation between the two countries.

Kim said his government supports the project and has decided to provide 5 million U.S. dollars for planting trees and grass in western China.

Meanwhile, he said South Korea will increase imports of Chinese farm products and coal to balance South Korea's trade surplus with China.

To deepen South Korea's understanding of China and to boost the friendship between the two peoples, Kim agreed to establish a Chinese Culture Center in Seoul and Zhu consented, in principle, to South Korea's suggestion for mutual warship visits.

Kim hoped that South Korea and China will better coordinate their efforts in ASEM, APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) and "10 plus three."

Zhu voiced his support of Kim's proposal for the meeting among the leaders of China, South Korea and Japan during the "10 plus three" gathering in Singapore.

On the issue of the Korean Peninsula, Kim expressed his heartfelt thanks to China for its peace and stabilizing efforts.

The South Korean president said the four-party talks should reach a consensus on a peaceful regime for the peninsula to replace the half-century-old armistice.

Zhu said China supports the improved relations between South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and hopes the inter-Korean reconciliation process will continue to advance.

The Chinese leader also said China is happy with the improved DPRK-U.S. ties and backs the improvement of DPRK-Japanese relations.